Where TikTok users in the US opened the app today, they were greeted with a pop-up asking them to agree to the social media’s terms of service and privacy policy before they could start scrolling.
These changes are part of TikTok’s transition to a new identity. In order to continue operating in the US, TikTok was forced by the US government to move from Chinese control to a new, American-owned company. Called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, the new venture is formed by a group of investors that includes software company Oracle.
It’s easy to tap “accept” and keep scrolling through TikTok videos, so users don’t fully understand the extent of the changes they’re agreeing to with this pop-up.
Now that it is under US-based ownership, TikTok may collect more detailed information about its users, including precise location data. A spokesperson for TikTok USDS declined to comment.
Here are three major changes to TikTok’s privacy policy that users should know about.
TikTok Adds Direct Location Tracking
TikTok’s change in location tracking is one of the most notable updates in this new privacy policy. Prior to this update, the app did not collect accurate, GPS-derived location data for US users. Now, if you give TikTok permission to use your phone’s location services, the app may collect a little information about where you are. The same types of precise location data are also tracked by other social media applications, such as Instagram and X.
Classic Privacy Policy:
We collect information about your location, including location information based on your SIM card and/or IP address. In addition, we collect location information (such as tourist attractions, shops, or other places of interest) if you choose to add location information to User Content. Current versions of the app do not collect precise or limited GPS information for US users.
New Privacy Policy:
Location information about your location based on your device and network information, such as SIM card region, IP address, and device system settings. We also collect information, such as tourist attractions, shops, or other places of interest, if you choose to add a location to your User Content. Also, if you choose to enable location services for the TikTok app within your device settings, we collect approximate or exact location information from your device.
TikTok Now Tracks AI Interactions
Instead of a fix, TikTok’s policy on AI interactions adds a new topic to the privacy policy document. Now, user interactions with any of TikTok’s AI tools clearly fall under the data that the service may collect and store. This includes any information and results generated by AI. Metadata attached to your interactions with AI tools may be included automatically.
Classic Privacy Policy:
(This AI interaction was not explicitly mentioned in the previous policy.)
New Privacy Policy:
When you create an account, upload content, contact us directly, or use the Services, you may provide some or all of the following information… AI interactions, including prompts, questions, files, and other types of information you send to our AI-powered interface, and the responses it generates.
We collect certain information from you automatically when you use the Services, including … Metadata that is automatically uploaded about user content, messages, or AI interactions, such as when, where, and by whom the user content was created, or the message or information was sent. Metadata may also include information, such as your username, that allows your User Content to be traced back to your account by other users.
TikTok Expands Its Ad Network
This change in TikTok’s privacy policy may not be immediately visible to users, but it could affect the types of ads you see outside of TikTok. So, instead of using your collected data to identify you while you’re using the app, TikTok may now leverage that information to serve you more relevant ads wherever you go online. As part of this advertising change, TikTok also now explicitly mentions publishers as one type of partner the platform works with for new data.
Classic Privacy Policy:
